Key-action device for typewriting machines



Feb. 3, 1931. P. KPPLER .mYKAcTIoN' DEVICE FQR TYPEwiITING MACHINES Filed oct. 2o. 1927 s sheets-sheet 1 for Feb..3, 1931. P. KPPLER '1,791,074

KEY ACTION DEVICE FOR'TYPEWRITING MACHINES Filed Oct. 20. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'gym- Feb. 3, 1931.Y

P. KPPLER KEY AQTION DEVICE FOR TYPEWRI'TING MACHINES v Filed Oct. 20.1927 5 Sheets-Shawl'l 3 -Pefemed Feb. a,V i931 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL KEPLER, .or pREsDEN, GERMANY KEY- ACTION ADEVICE FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINS Application led October 20, 1927, Serial No.

The invention relates to typewriting ma-- chinos having an obliquely arranged type bar bearing segment and in which each key lever r bars close to the latter, so that a space is left between the rods andthe upright arm of thel link. This space has heretofore not been utilized. With the known machine', moreover, the link bearingis bent, which gives '20 rise to unsatisfactory leverage.

According to the present invention, the universal bar and the extensions of the lower link arm which drive the universal bar are accommodated in the aforesaid space. In

order to obtain better freedom of movement with this arrangement, the axle of the lower link is also made straight, which carries with it further advantages. The manufacture and assembly is simplified and uniform angular movements and equal lengths of the link levers are also obtained. This is an advantage inquantity production. This also simplies overcoming the lateral distance between th'e link bearings and the plane of I movementrof the type bar, it being only necessary for this purpose to correspondingly bend the upright arm to one side. It is then only necessary y*to Vbend the two ends of the connecting rods away from each other so 40 Athat they move about intersecting axes. This bending of the ends of the connecting rods does not giverise to any inconvenience The utilization of space is also aided by the fact that the upper link pivot is not exactly verticallyy situated above the lower link pivot,but

is set forwardv suiiiciently to leave room between the upper pivot and the position of the upright arm in striking position, for accomlmodating aacross-connection for the spacing -fo key levers. Consequently, the upper link is 227,393, and in Germany November 27, 1926.

shorter than the lower link. This is of no consequence as regards guiding the keys, which still describe an almost vertical movement parallel to one another, whereas even with typewriting machines' having very long 55 key levers, one has to allow for an ohiquty of about 5% in the. striking position.

A machine constructed according to the present invention only requires the upper and lower links (whichare mounted on two straight pivots) as the intermediate elements for transmittingthe movementl from the keys to the type bars, the connecting rods and suitably positioned return springs. The lower links are shaped to form both the universal key levers and the upright arms.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a vconstructional example of a typewriter according to my invention.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinalsectional view of 70 the machine.-

Fig. 2 isa plan view of one of the outer type bars and relative parts.

Fig. 3 is a view looking from the rear toward some of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional lan view of part of the machine on one si e of its longitudinal center line :zz-.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a detail of construction. 80

The keys 1, 2,'3 and 4 are connected above to a link 5 and below to a link 6, which forms one arm of an intermediate lever 7. The keys are thus guided in an almost strai ht path. The links 5 and 6 are mounted on rods or pins 85 8 and 9. These are inserted in the bearing bracket 10 of the machine frame 11, the bracket- 10 being slotted in known manner to receive and guide the links. The pin or rod 8 e is set further forward than the pin or rod 9. 90

The keys 1-4 all have an equal downward movement.. Consequently, theyl all describe the same angle of movement, so that arms 12 on the levers 7, through which the universal bar 13 is driven all make the same an- 95 gular movement. Thus the parts driven from the universal bar 13, i. e., the carriage escapement mechanism, the ribbon feed and ribbon shift motion, are all actuated in exact- .ly the same manner by every one of thekeys. 10U*` n... uu

one above the other rlhe intermediate lever 7 forms the upright arm of a three-armed lever including the link 6 and arm 12. 'llhe arms 7 transmit motion to the type bars through connecting rods 14. rllhe diEerent travel due to the various heights and inclinations ot the type bars is compensated by correspondin variations of the lengths and lateral ben in of the arms 7, as seen in Fig. 2. When the eys are depressed, the arms 7 stand almost upright. Between the bearing bracket. 10 and the arms 7 there is still room for the channeled cross bar '16 .of the spacing lever 19, owing to the forward position. ol the pivot 8. 'll'he spacing lever 19 through the arms 18 iulcrumed on rod 8, and each having a lug 18 engaging the channel in bar 16, actuates arms 20 arranged alongside the u per ends of the arms 7 rllhese act upon ro lers 45 of arms 21 rotatable on a shaft 22, which arms 21 carry the universal bar 13, so that depression of the lever 19 will bring"the universal bar 13 into the dotted position, thereby actuating the carriage escapement. 'llhe connecting rods 14 lie close to the type bars l5 so that there is only just space between them for the return springs 17. The universal bar 13, by its movement, fills the remaining space between the two arms 'l' and 12. rlhe available space is thus utilized tothe fullest possible extent.

Having l-now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is tobe performed, l declare that what ll claim is.:-

1. ln a typewriter of that kind having an obliquely arranged type bar bearing segment, the combination with the type bars, ot type bar actuating key levers and a spacing key lever, a pair of parallel motion linkmenh bers coupled to each key lever and pivoted upon horizontal trans- I verse axes to the machine frame, the lower and connecting the vertical arms of t link member bein longer than the upper link member and having an extension arm projecting horizontally in rear of its pivot and carrying a substantiall vertical arm, a universal bar disposed in t e angle between said horizontal and Vvertical arms of the lower link members so as to overlie the horizontal arms of said link members for movement thereby inone direction upon the depression of the respective key levers, connecting rods underlying the bank of type bars ve lower link members with the type bars., rocker arms carryin the universal vbar arms tor actuatin sai rocker arms, and a connecting member etween said actuating arms operatively connected to the spacin lever, said connecting member being mova le in the space between the upper links of the group of parallel motion links and the vertical arms of the lower links of said group.

2. A. tvpewritcr of the character set forth to allow for the proper plane in claim 1, wherein an inclineol'bracket is provided to carry the pivots ot the parallel.

motion links and wherein the pivots of the tensions for the movement ot the connecting member between the actuating arms which ytransmit )motion from the space key to the universal bar.

3: A typewriter of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the type bar connecting rods and the arms coupled to the universal bar are connected by return springs to the type bar bearing segment, which springs are disposed in the space between said rods and arms and the overlying type bars.

4. A typewriter of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the axes of the upper and lower link members are straight and parallel, and the lower link members of the parallel motion links and their horizontal extension arms are of like shape and length while their vertical extension arms are otn varying lengths and bent laterally to varying degrecs with relation to kthe vertical plane of the horizontal arms of said link members of travel ci each type bar.. Y

. 5. A typewriter ot the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the pivotal support for the upper and lower link members of the parallel motion .links is straight and the pivotal support for the lower link member is gli) arranged in a vertical plane in rear of the v vertical plane of the pivotal support tor the upper link member.

PAUL KPPLER. 

